st. louis Cardinals (27-16) at Kansas City Royals (28-14) Game #44 N Kauffman stadium N May 24, 2015 Michael Wacha (6-0, 2.13) vs. yardano ventura (3-3, 4.56) K BIRD WATCHING: The 2014 N.L. Central Champion St. Louis Cardinals are in the midst of their 124th season of ToDAy’s GAME : The Cardinals conclude their play with an 9-3-2 series record and are in 1st place in the NL Central, 2.5 games ahead of Chicago...the Cardinals seven-game (2-2 at NYM, 0-2 at KC) roadtrip this dropped their season-high 3rd-straight game last night, 3-2, in a rain-shortened six inning game...after being shutout 5-0 on both Thursday and Friday, the Cardinals snapped their 23 inning scoreless streak with a 2nd inning run last afternoon with the series finale against the de - night...St. Louis is 15-5 at Busch Stadium & 12-11 on the road...the Cards own the NL’s top winning pct. (.628) and fending American League Champion Kansas City the league’s best run differential (+50)...the Cardinals 27-16 start thru 43 games is their best since 2013 (28-15)...for Royals with first pitch slated for 1:10 p.m. CT... the 3rd time (2015, 2013, 2012) in their four seasons under manager Mike Matheny, the Cardinals hit the 1/4 mark it’s the third of six games this season between of the season in 1st place. the two interleague rivals...Kansas City will visit K THE sTATE oF BAsEBAll: The Show-Me State’s Cardinals (27-16, .627) and Royals (28-14, .667) entered this St. Louis for a three-game weekend series June weekend’s series ranked 1-2 in winning pct. amongst all MLB teams and in run differential (KC, +70; STL, +50)...the 12-14...the Cardinals dropped a rain-shortened Cardinals are also leading the majors in ERA (2.88) with the Royals ranking 3rd (3.16). 3-2 decision in six innings last night, as their los - K BAsEBAll’s WEEKEND oF REMEMBRANCE: All MLB teams will take this Memorial Day weekend to offer mo - ing streak stretched to a season-high three ments of remembrance during all games, and on Memorial Day, the players/teams will wear special caps and jerseys with the proceeds of the sale of those caps & jerseys being used to support the Welcome Back Veterans program. games...the Rebirds were shut out 5-0 for a sec - K ond-straight game on Friday night after having RoyAl pAINs: Matt Carpenter (.442 career BA vs. KC), Matt Holliday (.325) & Yadier Molina (.321) have been Royal pains to Kansas City...and here at Kauffman Stadium, the trio have been just as troublesome, batting a com - also been blanked 5-0 by the Mets on Thursday bined .350 (63-for-180)...Carpenter is batting .486 (18-for-37) in his nine career games at The K. at Citi Field...the Cardinals return home tomor - K INTERlEAGUE: The Cardinals are 3-5 in interleague play thus far (2-1 at CLE, 1-2 vs. DET, 0-2 at KC)...St. Louis is row (Memorial Day, 3:15 p.m.) to open a 9- scheduled to play a total 20 interleague games this season; Home: DET (3), KC (3), MIN (2), CWS (2); Road: CLE (3), game, 10-day home stand with Arizona...the Los KC (3), MIN (2), CWS (2)...St. Louis was 8-12 (5-5 on road) in interleague play last season, and they’re 146-137 (.516) Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers will all-time in interleague play, the 4th best winning pct. amongst all NL teams since the format was introduced in also visit Busch Stadium during the upcoming 1997... DEsIGNATED To HIT: Cardinals designated hitters are the all-time leaders amongst N.L. teams in batting home stand...the Cardinals are concluding a 16- (.301; 167-554), on-base pct. (.380) & slugging pct. (.505). game stretch today in which they will have K MIlEsToNE MATT: Matt Holliday is one homer shy of 275 for his career, and currently ranks 12th among active players... EvERy DAy’s A HollIDAy: Holliday reached base by HBP last night, extending his on-base streak to 40 played 13 of those games on the road. games to begin the 2015 season...his on-base streak is the majors 2nd longest to begin a season since 2000, trailing CARDINAls vs. RoyAls: only former teammate Albert Pujols, who reached in a record 42 straight games to begin the 2008 season...over season: 6 games; next meeting 6/12-14 at STL the past two seasons, Matt’s streak is at 42 games...Stan Musial reached in a club record 55-straight in 1943. 2015: 0-2 (0-0 at STL, 0-2 at KC) K HARDBAll: Starting with last weekend’s series against Detroit, the Cardinals, who own the NL’s top W-L mark at 2014: 1-3 (0-2 at STL, 1-1 at KC) 27-16 (.628 win pct.) will have met up with three of MLB’s winningest teams (DET .591; NYM .545; KC .667) over a All-Time: 46-36 (30-18 at Kauffman Stadium) 10-game stretch...St. Louis is 3-6 (1-2 vs DET, 2-2 at NYM, 0-2 at KC) thus far during that stretch. last Time sTl sweep: 5/27-28/13 at KC - 2 Gms last Time KC sweep: 6/2-3/14 at STL- 2 Gms BIRD BANTER... 2015 vs. KC RoyAls: .218 (12-55) 0 HR RoADTRIp: .244 (52-213) 3 HR K #32 MATT ADAMs: streak: 0-10 series: 0-6, .000 Roadtrip: 4-19, .211, HR RECoRD BREAKDoWN [ HRed (#4) Wed. at Ny for 1st time in May & had 3 RBI...had 1st multi-H game since 5/3 on Mon...T2nd in the Nl w/5 GW- By Day By Month RBI...ranks 5th on team w/18 RBI...has .273 BABIp...had walk-off single in 10th vs. pIT (5/1)...had RBI in 4 str. games 4/28-5/1. Monday 1-3 Spring 13-11-3 K #8 pETER BoURJos: streak: 1G (1-2, .500) series: 1-5, .200 Roadtrip: 3-13, .231 [ Has HR, 3-2B’s & 2-3B’s among his 15 hits in May & 13 runs...hit HR #1 on 5/16...310 BA (18-58) in 15 Gs...had two 2B’s 5/8 Tuesday 4-1 April 15-6 at pIT...leads team w/3 triples (T1st, Nl)...leadoff batter in 7 Gs (9-30, .300, 2-2B, 3B)...tied for sTl lead w/4 sB (4-7), 3 as pR Wednesday 4-3 May 12-10 Thursday 5-1 June 0-0 K #13 MATT CARpENTER: streak: 4G (6-15, .400) series: 4-7, .571 Roadtrip: 6-21, .286 [ Had Ml-high 20th multi-H game Fri. night; 1st 3-hit game...has team-high 7 HR...hit 2-run HR in 8th in 2-1 win 5/14 at ClE Friday 4-3 July 0-0 ...missed 4 Gs w/extreme fatigue 5/7-10...ranks among Nl leaders in BA (.323, 6th); oBp (.385, 12th); slugging (.581, 5th); RBI Saturday 4-3 August 0-0 (25, T12th); runs (29, T7th); 2B (17, T1st), XBH (25, T2nd)... .292 BA w/2 strikes (2nd Nl)...hit 30th career HR & 2nd 4-RBI game Sunday 5-2 Sept./Oct. 0-0 on 5/5 vs. CHI...T4h in MlB BA w/RIsp (.455, 10-22)...12G hit streak 4/12-25 (.423 BA)...has 2 lead-off HR (4/19 & 4/22) & 6 career...had 7 str. multi-hit G’s (4/12-19) & 5 str. G’s w/2B (4/13-18)...Nl player of Week for 4/13-19. By Seriies K #48 ToNy CRUZ: streak: 0-4 series: DNp Roadtrip: 1-6, .167 2G 3G 4G 5G [ Had pinch-hit single Tue. at NyM...2-8 as pH this season...has hits in 6-of-16 Gs this season...h it GW-RBI double (2RBI) vs. Won --- 7 2 --- CHI (5/4)... has GW-RBI in his last 3Gs w/RBI...made 1st start 4/23 at MIl...sTl is 3-2 in his starts in ‘15. Lost --- 3 --- --- K #15 RANDAl GRICHUK: streak: 0-5 series: 1-6, .167 Roadtrip: 6-25, .240 Split 1 --- 1 --- [ Has 5 XBH/13 TB’s (3-2B, 2-3B) & 4 RBI last 5 G’s...came off Dl (lower back) 5/16 after missing 27 game...has team-high 5 Sweeps --- 2 --- --- def. gems... .600 (6-10) w/HR in 3 G’s w/Ext. spring Training...topped sTl organization w/28 HR’s (MEM 25, sTl 3) in’14. Opp. Sweeps --- --- --- --- K #22 JAsoN HEyWARD: streak: 0-9 series: 0-4, .000 Roadtrip: 3-16, .188, HR [ Has 2-HR & 2-2B amond last 6 hits...HR #4 last Wed...2-3 w/HR #3 & 2 RBI on 5/15...has .350 BA (14-40) & 1 HR vs. lHps...had MIKE MATHENy: Mike Matheny has begun his 2-2B’s 4/5 at CHI & 5/9 at pIT...scored 3 runs vs. CHI (5/6 &7)...had 2 sB vs. pIT (5/1)...tied career high w/3 BB (4/28 vs. pHI). 4th season as the Cardinals manager, having taken K #7 MATT HollIDAy: streak: 0-7 series: 0-6, .000 Roadtrip: 4-18, .222 his teams to the postseason in each of his first [ Needs one HR for 275 career...has reached base safely in his first 40 games played (2nd longest streak in sTl history)...hit 3- three seasons and becoming just the 15th man - run HR (#3) in 8th on 5/12 at ClE, 4 RBI; 3rd 3-run HR, all on the road...3rd MlB in oBp (.434); 11th in Nl batting (.314)...is ager in MLB history to record 275 or more wins in T4th in MlB batting .455 w/RIsp (15-33)...T18th in Nl RBI (23)...has walked in 22-of-40 Gs; 27 BB’s total (4th Nl); 5 Int.